Light weight article

ABSTRACT

A lifesaving device having: (1) at least one set of flatwise, doughnut-shaped tubes of rubber, other plastic or thin metal, inflated with gas preferably at a pressure well above that of the atmosphere, having peripheries that are bonded together and tied by bands, cords or wire; (2) skin means comprising joined skins of plastic-impregnated fabric, plastic sheeting, plywood, thin metal or the like; (3) in some cases foamed plastic within the doughnut-shaped holes; (4) optionally, helium balloons in the foamed plastic; and, where the device serves as an article of furniture (table, chair or bed) until its use in life-preserving, (5) lower framework, comprising stacked doughnut-shaped tubes and a survival-kit storage container in this framework. The article of furniture may be inverted and floated as a life preserver. The structure of the invention also may be used as a life buoy or other buoy, a floatable mattress or part of a boat.

United States Patent Moore [451 June 20, 1972 [54] LIGHT WEIGHT ARTICLE Alvin E. Moore, 916 Beach Boulevard, Waveland, Miss. 39576 221 Filed: March so, 1970 21 Appl.No.: 23,789

[72] Inventor:

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 531,564, March 3,

1966, Pat. No. 3,503,825.

52 us. Cl ..9/12

[58] Field oISearch ..9/2,3,8,1'l,12,13,8.3,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,908,919 10/1959 Bicknell et a]. ..9/l1 3,237,2l8 311966 Moore ..9/2

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 636,776 5/1950 Great Britain ..9/ll

Primary Examiner--Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Carl A. Rutledge I Attomey-Alvin Edward Moore [57] ABSTRACT A lifesaving device having: 1) at least one set of flatwise, doughnut-shaped tubes of rubber, other plastic or thin metal, inflated with gas preferably at a pressure well above that of the atmosphere, having peripheries that are bonded together and tied by bands, cords or wire; (2) skin means comprising joined skins of plastic-impregnated fabric, plastic sheeting, plywood,

thin metal or the like; (3) in some cases foamed plastic within the doughnut-shaped holes; (4) optionally, helium balloons in the foamed plastic; and, where the device serves as an article of furniture (table, chair or bed) until its use in life-preserving, (5) lower framework, comprising stacked doughnut-shaped tubes and a survival-kit storage container in this framework. The article of furniture may be inverted and floated as a life preserver. The structure of the invention also may be used as a life buoy or other buoy, a floatable mattress or part of a boat.

32 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTEDmzo m2 3.870. 349

FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 5 FIGURE 6 FIGURE 8 fifi ifif ii I 2 1, F I G U R E 11 5O 5 FIGURE 12 9 \48 FIGUREIS FIGUREI3 r'ALViN EDWA RD MOORE,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

LIGHT WEIGHT ARTICLE The present application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 531,564, filed on Mar. 3, 1966 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,825 of Mar. 31, I970, entitled Method of Making Light-Weight Articles). FIGS. 7, 8, 9, l and 13 are the same as FIGS. 4, 5, A, 6 and 7A, respectively, of application US. Pat. No. 531,564; and FIG. 11 is the same as FIG. 7 ofthat ap plication with the addition of illustration of gas inlet valves, 34, which are optional.

This invention pertains to light-weight articles, mainly constructed of hollow, gas-containing, doughnut-shaped elements, of use in pleasure boating, fishing or the like, but especially designed for life-saving on water.

Since time immemorial there has been a great need for light-weight devices for saving lives from ship-wrecked vessels, and in the last 60 years this has expanded into the field of aviation and space travel over the oceans. Yet the common types of floatable life-saving equipment are still unsatisfactory. They are either too heavy and bulky and of little use aboard ship except in a rare emergency, for example in the form of lifeboats or life rafts, or they do not adequately protect their users in the water from cold, sun and sharks, as in life preservers and life buoys.

In view of these facts, an object of this invention is to provide a strong, light-weight, crash-resistant, floatable life-saving device, constructed mainly of hollow, gas-containing, doughnut-shaped rings, foam plastic, and waterproof skin means. Another object is to present such a device in which the doughnut-shaped rings are mainly assembled flatwise in the skin, with peripheries that are in contact. Other objectives are to provide: light-weight life-saving devices that are usable as furniture aboard a ship, boat or water-traversing aircraft and if it is in danger of sinking may be removed from the craft and used as floating life-saving equipment; such devices comprising compartments in which survival kits may bestored; and vehicular structures that are lighter than water in weight.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. I is a top plan view of one form of the invention, in an article of furniture a table, chair (stool), or bed with the major part of its upper skin broken away to expose its top tubular framework.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the article of furniture of FIG. 1, looking upward toward the said framework.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1, with its bottom broken away, and an intermediate part in elevational section from the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a mostly sectional view in elevation, from a plane comparable to that indicated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, but showing the top in end elevation, of another form of the invented article of furniture.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a doughnut-shaped tube of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view from a horizontal plane thru a lower part of another form of the legs of the article of fumiture of FIG. 4, looking upward toward its top.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a gas-containing ball or cylinder, usable in construction of the invention, from a plane that contains the center of the ball (or that is nonnal to the axis of the optional cylinder).

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a type of construction unit that may be utilized as a central element of the top framework, or as a side rail of the device of FIG. 11, from a plane that contains the axis of the unit.

FIG. 9 is an end elevational view of the unit of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view from a median plane thru another form of the tubular doughnut-shaped rings.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view from a median plane containing the major diameters of a set of the doughnut-shaped tubes, within waterproof skin means, usable as a floatable, life-saving mattress base, or a table, chair or bed top in the place of the round top of FIG. 1 or 4, or as a deck or wall of a life-saving raft or boat.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view from the plane l2-I2 of FIG. I 1.

FIG. 13 is an elevational, sectional view of a lifesaving device or raft, optionally usable as a swim sled, from a vertical plane that is nonnal to the fore-and-aft axis of the raft or sled.

FIG. 14 is a vertical, sectional view of a lifesaving raft or boat from a fore-and-aft plane comparable to that indicated by the line 14-14 ofFIG. 11.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view from a median plane thru one of the tubular rings that is comparable to the plane indicated by the line l5l5 of FIG. 14, showing a core of foamed plastic which optionally may be separate from or permanently molded in the outer inflatable tube, and optionally may have balloons imbedded in it.

The invention comprises: at least one set (frame or framework) of doughnut-shaped, gas-containing rings that are assembled flatwise, having peripheries that bear against each other, with the major diameters of the rings in a plane that is usually horizontal, but, as in FIGS. 13 and 14, may be vertical in use as a side wall of a raft or swim sled, or horizontal in its deck; waterproof skin means on both (flatwise) sides and the outer edges of the set of tubular rings; and, optionally and preferably, foamed plastic within at least some of the central holes of the doughnut-shaped rings.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate one type of the horizontal, flatwise frame of rings, shown as incorporated in a combined lifepreserving device and article of furniture (table, chair or bed) for use on a ship, boat, or other vehicle that traverses a fluid. When it is of a size adapted for use as a chair it may be a stool, as shown, or have a light-weight back rest which may be glued and otherwise fastened to an'outside ring of the upper tubular frame (for example by ties of cord that encircle the outer inflated tube). In this fonn of the device the tubular-frame rings are concentric, each of which, excepting the inner central ring 1, has an inner periphery (along its doughnut-shaped hole) in contact with the outer periphery of the ring that is nested within it.

These rings are within skin means, 2, which in each of the invention forms of FIGS. 1 to 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 6 and FIGS. 11 to 14, optionally may be: stifily resilient plastic sheet; small-mesh netting or other fabric, impregnated and coated with waterproofed plastic; or separate skins, comprising a preferably flexible band, surrounding the frames side edges (3 in FIG. 3, 4 in FIGS. 12 and 14, a top sheet of waterproofed plywood, metal or plastic, and a bottom skin of plywood, metal or plastic sheet, plastic-impregnated small-mesh fabric, or other fabric, the three sheets being securely fastened and gluebonded or (if metal) brazed, welded or soldered together. In FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 the top skin is shown as comprising a project ing rim; this projection is optional and may be used when the top skin is of wood.

Each of the invention forms of FIGS. 1 to 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 6, FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 also comprises at least one supporting, bracing member which is of aid in emergency life-saving on water. In FIGS. 1 to 3 there is one, composite, supporting, bracing member, generally indicated in FIG. 3 at 5, which comprises: a tubular framework of gas-containing, doughnutshaped tubes 6, stacked one above the other, preferably glued along their contacting annular surfaces 7; bracing-member skin means, comprising an outer, cylindrical skin 8 and an inner, cylindrical skin 9, optionally made of one of the abovelisted skin materials; foam plastic 10, preferably of the closedcell type, optionally rigid, but preferably stiffly resilient (for example, polyurethane foam that is strong enough to resiliently yield only slightly under shock or pressure); and a storage container, 12, capable of supporting the weight of at least one person when the table or chair is inverted and floating in the water.

The storage container 12 is made of metal (for example, painted aluminum alloy or thin, painted steel), fabric-reinforced plastic or waterproofed plywood. It has a plurality of reinforcing ridges or bars, 14, as part of its cover 16, for aid in supporting the weight of a person or persons, and there is at lOlnAn nnnr least one door, 18, connected to cover 16 by the hinges 20. When this door is closed it completes the seal of the storage compartment against entry of water. This may be done by lapping the edges of the door over a narrow ledge or rim around the opening to the container and providing a gasket of rubber or the like between this rim and the door edges and bolt means or the like, 22, for drawing the unhinged edge of the door tightly down on the flexible gasket. The looped handle 24, for lifting the door, is hinged to it at 26, so that it can be folded flatwise against the door when not in use. This compartment 12 is for storage of a survival kit of emergency rations, tools, etc., to be used by the person or persons supported by the cover 16 and its door 18.

Optionally, the life-saving device of any of the invention forms may comprise hooks, 28, or other fasteners preferably having spring-pressed, extensible arms for detachably holding it fixed to the deck of a boat or other craft. When the craft is in danger of sinking or crashing over water these hooks are unfastened and the device is floated on the water. In this emergency use of the article of furniture of FIGS. 1 to 6, the article is turned upside down from its previous position, and the person whose life is being saved stands on the cover of the survival-kit container. The device continues to float, with the fonner top, 30, of the table, chair or bed below the framework around the storage chamber, because the center of gravity of the article is located between its center of buoyancy and element 30. The tubular framework around the storage chamber means (which supports the top 30 when it is serving as furniture and aids in supporting and bracing the user of the device in the water) has more buoyancy than the heavier container and top of the chair, table or bed.

The concentric tubes, 1 and 32, of different major diameters, preferably have the same size of minor diameter (the distance across the gas-containing space). The material of these tubes, as well as that of all other tubes of this invention, is thin and light in total weight. Optionally in each case it may be: aluminum or aluminum alloy; very thin copper, iron or steel; rigid plastic, optionally reinforced with mesh or other fabric; resilient rubber or other resilient plastic; very thin spring steel; blown glass (not currently preferred); balloon cloth (nylon or the like), coated and impregnated with rubber or other plastic. When it is metal or dense plastic that is practically impenneable to gas it is inflated with air, or lighter-thanair gas such as helium, preferably at a pressure that is well above that of the atmosphere for example, of to pounds per square inch; and then the inflation hole or tube is permanently sealed. This sealing may be by welding, brazing, soldering, fusing if a type of plastic is used that is meltable by heat, or by the application of epoxy glue. If the tube is integrally made, in accordance with the method of US Pat. No. 3,503,825, it is hermetically sealed in a step of this method. Otherwise, it may be made as follows: die-stamping or molding two equal, half-tube parts, each having an annular flange around its radially outer edge and another, concentric annular flange around its radially inner edge; placing the flanges one above the other to form the doughnut-shaped ring; hermetically uniting the contacting faces of their rims, except at an inflation hole or little pipe or valve tube, by welding, brazing, soldering, fusing of plastic, or epoxy cement; inflating the tube with the selected gas; and sealing the inflation pipe, hole or valve tube by welding, brazing, soldering, fusing or epoxy glue.

Another and currently preferred type of the tubes 1 and 32 is made, somewhat like an automobile tire tube, by molding it of resilient synthetic or natural rubber; but unlike a tire tube, its valve tube (34, 36) is not at the radially inner part of the tube (not at the doughnut-like hole, but instead is in a position that is easily accessible after the close nesting of the concentric tubes of the tubular frame). This position may be at the upper part of the tube (preferably only slightly projecting above the skin means 2), but the best position for most of these tubes is at the lower part of the tube, as indicated at 34 in FIG. 2, with the valve projecting below the bottom part of the skin means. But where the bottom surfaces of the upper frame tubes are in contact with tubes 6 of the supporting framework the valve tubes, 36, project slightly above the upper skin of the table or chair.

After the concentric tubes are assembled and preferably epoxy-glue-bonded together along their contacting outer and inner peripheries, a selected type of the above-described strong skin means is snugly fitted over, around and beneath the tubular rings. Optionally, there may be placed between them and each of the top and bottom skins a molded, annularly corrugated disk of the above-described stiffly resilient (or optionally rigid) foamed plastic, of the general type shown in FIGS. 3 to 15. When the tubes are of rubber or plastic-impregnated balloon cloth they are repeatedly inflatable thru their valves; and preferably they are first moderately inflated just enough above atmospheric pressure to hold their shape in assembly and then after the skin means snugly surrounds them they are strongly inflated, expanding within the skin means, making it very taut and strong against pressure or shock. If no corrugated foamed-plastic filler pieces are utilized the tubes, if of resilient, stretchable rubber or the like, expand from their previously round-in-cross-section shape into a square shape in cross section, thus completely and tautly engaging the inner surfaces of the skin means.

Instead of the concentric-tube type of upper tubular frame shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a frame of the type illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 may be used for the top of the article of furniture. This form of frame, as well as that of FIG. 1, may be used as such a top or as a mattress or bed that may serve as a lifesaving device or in light-weight lifeboats, life rafts or other marine or air craft as their decks or side, top or bottom walls. Preferably its inflated tubes have the same major and minor diameters; and instead of being in contact along radially outer and inner surfaces, as in FIG. 1, they are in contact (and preferably are epoxy-glue-bonded) at their juxtaposed radially outer peripheries. FIG. 12 illustrates the top and bottom skins of this frame as of metal, but where they are thicker than fabric, as shown, they preferably are of waterproofed marine plywood; and optionally they may be of any of the abovedescribed types of skin material. When they are of wood or metal, these top and bottom skins preferably are strongly connected by tie elements that extend between and are fastened to these skins. One type of such tie element is indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3 at 38. This is a bolt having a head (preferably thin and countersunk) at the upper surface of the top and a nut at the lower surface of the lower skin. In lieu of or in addition to bolts, rivets or tie cords may be utilized. The thin skin 4 around the side edge of the frame in FIG. 12, as well as the skin 3 of FIG. 3, may be of metal or plywood, but preferably is made of plastic-impregnated mesh or other fabric; it is epoxyglued or otherwise fastened to the radially outer surfaces of the set of tubular rings.

FIG. 11 shows the peripherally contacting tubular rings in horizontal section, without the interposition of plastic within and between the tubes. But preferably, and as indicated in FIGS. 12, 14 and 15, foamed plastic of the above-described type is thus utilized. The liquid materials of such plastic 40 in FIG. 12, 54 in FIG. 15, 40 and 42 in FIG. 14) may be poured or injected in situ within the spaces 44 and 46 of FIG. 11 (or to form plastic 10 of FIG. 3 or the foam plastic in skin 82 of FIG. 4), thru temporary holes that are glue-sealed-over after the plastic has set. Or, optionally, filler pieces of foam plastic, short cylinders if the tubes are not flexible, otherwise of the proper curvature to fit the tubular curves in spaces 44 and 46, may be separately molded, placed and glued in the spaces, during the assembly of the frame. When the tubes are of stretchable rubber the glue thus used preferably is flexible, liquid-rubber cement.

Whether molded separately in filler pieces or poured in situ, this foam plastic optionally may have imbedded in it balloons of the type indicated at 48, optionally filled with air, but preferably with helium or other lighter-than-air gas at a pressure that is a little above that of the atmosphere, because 10x04. mm

the mixed foam-plastic liquids form a gas that places the setting foamed plastic under pressure against the outer mold or skin and against the balloons in the plastic. Only a few of these balloons are shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, but especially when the device is of the lifesaving type they are preferably numerous in the frame or frames.

FIG. 15 shows an optional type of the tubular rings which may be used in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 or in place of the lower, deck tubes 50 of FIG. 13 or the lower, boat side-wall tubes 52 of FIG. 14. In this figure the core 54 of the doughnut-shaped tube 56 is molded foam plastic, the liquid materials of which are poured in a mold which snugly fits around tube 56 and has top and bottom mold parts that form the parallel planar surfaces 58 and 60. Optionally, balloons (48) are placed in the doughnut-like, central hole of the tube in the mold before the mixed liquid materials are poured.

FIG. 6 illustrates another, optional type of the tubular rings. This may be a single, optionally valved, inflated tube (62, similar to the tube shown in FIG. 5), that is placed in a mold which has planar top and bottom parts and a short, cylindrical, radially outer part, the cylindrical surface of which is sufficiently spaced outward from the tube to form the desired thickness of outer foamed plastic (64); or a plurality of equaldiameter tubes may be stacked in a similar mold that has a longer cylindrical outer part. In any event, within the tube (or stack of tubes) and between the top and bottom of the hingedcover mold a cylinder, 66, of previously formed dense, strong plastic (optionally reinforced with mesh or other fabric) or of previously formed metal sheet is placed within and preferably snugly against the radially inner surface of the tube (or tubes) 62. Thereafter the hinged cover is fastened down and foamedplastic liquid materials are poured to form the outer, foamed plastic ring 64. If the material of the tube (or tubes) of FIG. 6 is of resilient rubber, other stretchable or yieldable plastic, or the like, it preferably has the type of radially located valve means that is shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 at 68 or 70; and after the plastic-foam liquids are poured the tube (or set of tubes) is inflated from its previously moderate pressure to a pressure well above that of the atmosphere.

FIG. 6 also shows an optional projecting top 72 of a table, chair or bed that may be glued to the upper surfaces of a vertically stacked set of the short-cylinder, single-tube rings or, optionally, glued to a composite, longer-cylinder,single ring that comprises a stack of the tubes 62 inside integral outer and inner plastic parts 64 and 66. With the elimination of top element 72 and the addition of container 12 (not shown in FIG. 6) this structure of FIG. 6 may be used in place of the bracing, supporting framework, shown at the lower part of FIG. 3 or FIG. 4.

The other, optional type of ring, shown in FIG. 10, also may be made in a hinged-cover mold of the above-described type.

- This tubular ring, comprising a single tube, or vertically stacked set of tubes, and plastic has an inflated tube or tubes of a selected one of the above-described materials that are practically impermeable to gas. The tube material is shown in FIG. 10 as of metal, but it optionally may be of dense plastic, which may be reinforced by mesh or other fabric. In any event, this tube material is sufficiently strong to withstand the preferred inflated-gas pressure of well above that of the atmosphere. The structure of FIG. 10, as well as that of FIG. 6 (without element 72) or FIG. 15, may be used with other rings or alone as a life or other buoy.

FIG. 7 is a cross section thru either a spherical light-weight article or a cylindrical object of the general type of FIGS. 8 and 9. In FIG. 8 the ends of the cylindrical object are shown as rounded, but optionally these may be square, with planar end surfaces. Whether the inner gas-containing element, 74, is spherical or cylindrical, it is made of one of the abovedescribed tube materials and is enclosed in a molded sheath, 76, of foamed plastic of the above-described stiffly resilient or rigid type, optionally within an outer skin or envelope of thin waterproof material, such as dense plastic, very thin metal or light-weight mesh or other fabric, impregnated with rubber or other plastic, or a vulcanized surface of rubber. This article of FIG. 7 (or FIGS. 8 and 9) may be used as the central annular element 78 of FIG. I or in place of the core 54 of FIG. 15 or instead of the foamed-plastic core that is within the tube 52 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 4 shows a table, chair or bed, having a top (shown in end elevation) that may be similar to the concentric-tube top of FIG. 1 or a top of the type of structure shown in FIG. 11 or FIG. 12, and lower, supporting, bracing framework of a form that is different from that of FIG. 3. In the device of FIG. 4 this lower framework comprises four equally spaced, lower, storage legs, two of which are shown in section in this figure. Each of these legs comprises: a set of inflated, doughnutshaped, vertically stacked tubes, 80, of a selected one of the above-described types; an outer cylindrical skin, 82, of the above-described type of skin material; an inner storage container, 84, that is similar to the container 12, but smaller in diameter and deeper; and a cover, 86 that watertightly but detachably engages the edges of the open end of container 84. Around this entire framework, securely fastened and bonded to the outer skins 82, there is tautly stretched a line (of lightweight wire, cord or cable), 88. This element serves three purposes: it braces the lower ends of the hollow legs of the tubular framework; to it may be connected optional hooks 28 or other fastening means, for detachably holding the table or chair on a boat or other craft; and, when the article of furniture is inverted and used as a floating life-saving device, it serves as a lifeline for the person or persons that stand on the previously lower surface of the top of the article of furniture.

FIG. 14 illustrates in section one of the two side walls that may be added to the structure of FIG. 11 as part of an enclosed lifeboat, life raft or other marine vessel. As above explained, the lower tubes 52 may have cores of foam plastic; but each of the upper tubes, 90, contains an annular glass window, 92, which optionally may have a window frame between it and the tube. This glass or its frame is fixed to the tube by epoxy-resin cement; and where a frame is used the window may be hinged to it.

The raft or boat of FIG. 14 preferably also has bow, top and stem walls, respectively at 93B, 93T and 935, which may be of one or more plies of: strong canvas or the like, impregnated and coated with waterproof rubber or other plastic; waterproofed plywood or sheet metal (aluminum alloy, very thin copper or steel), or the like. The forward and after walls, 938 and 93S, have windows, securely fastened in them. Either of these windows, optionally, may be part of a door.

FIG. 13 illustrates a simple, economical form of swim sled or lifesaving device. The inflated, lower, deck tubes 50 have outer peripheries that are fastened together (by epoxy and-or tie cords) in an aligned fore-and-aft row, somewhat similar to the middle row of four tubes in FIG. 11. These tubes 50, as well as the upper tubes 94, may be similar to any of the abovedescribed tubes. The tubes 94 are tied and glue-bonded to tubes 50, are preferably inflated with lighter-than-air gas, preferably extend in a fore-and-aft direction over nearly all the fore-and-aft length of the row of tubes 50; but they are of larger diameter and volume than the deck tubes 50. The swim sled or inverted-fumiture article, lifesaving device thus has a center of buoyancy that is considerably above the vehicles center of gravity. Either when the device is thrown from a larger craft or when a user is lying or sitting on the deck row the tubes 94 prevent capsizing.

When the user is swimming or rowing with light-weight oars, his hands (or oars) project thru opposite openings in the tubes 94.

In the claims: the term skin means" refers to one integral skin or a plurality of skins that are joined; the word plastic" is used to mean any type of natural or synthetic rubber or other plastic; gas" to signify any pure gas or gaseous mixture; and fabric" to mean any kind of fibrous or metallic fabric or mesh, comprising fibers or other reinforcing particles.

I claim:

10mm mm 1. A floatable, light-weight device, adapted for use as an article of furniture aboard a transportation craft and in emergency life-saving over water, comprising:

a tubular frame of annular rings at the top of the article of furniture and having a lower surface, said rings being arranged flatwise with their major diameters in substantially the same plane and having pairs of contacting peripheries, at least one periphery of each of said pairs being a radially outer surface of a ring;

means for fastening said rings together at the said contacting peripheries;

skin means, snugly enveloping said rings; and

tubular framework, jutting from and connected to at least some of the sidewalls of the said rings, comprising doughnut-shaped framework tubes with their major axes substantially normal to the said plane, gas within the framework tubes, means fastening the framework to the said sidewalls, and framework skin means over the said framework tubes;

The said device, when the article of furniture is inverted and floating in water, having a center of gravity that is located between its center of buoyancy and said tubular frame; the said framework being sufficiently open toward said lower surface to allow a person to stand within the framework, supported by said lower surface.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said gas is under a pressure that is well above that of the atmosphere.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said gas is lighter than air and under a pressure well above that of the atmosphere.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1, in which the tubes of said framework are stacked with the centers of their doughnuthole-shaped spaces being substantially in the same line and the said line is substantially normal to the said planar surface,

5. A device as set forth in claim 1, comprising pressurized gas in said rings.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1, comprising means for fastening said framework to a transport vehicle.

7. A device as set forth in claim 1, comprising a storage container housed by said tubular framework.

8. A device as set forth in claim 1, in which said tubular framework comprises spaced rows of stacked doughnutshaped tubes, the centers of the tubes of each row being in a line that is substantially normal to said plane.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8, comprising a storage container in each row, adjacent to said tubular frame of annular rings.

10. A floatable, light-weight device, adapted to be transported by a vehicle, comprising;

a tubular frame having a plurality of annular rings, each of which comprises a doughnut-shaped tube and gas within the tube, said rings being arranged flatwise with their major diameters in substantially the same plane, and having pairs of contacting peripheries, at least one periphery of each of said pairs being a radially outer surface of a tube;

skin means, snugly enveloping said rings; and

tubular framework, jutting from and connected to at least some of the sidewalls of the said rings, comprising a plurality of stacked, doughnut-shaped framework tubes with their major axes normal to the said plane, gas within the said framework tubes, means fastening the framework to the said sidewalls, and framework skin means over the said framework tubes;

and connecting means for detachably fastening said device to a vehicle.

11. Structure as set forth in claim 10, in which: said device is adapted for use as an article of furniture on a vehicle and as a life-saving device in water; and said connecting means for detachably fastening the device comprises hooks connected to base portions of the device when used as said article of fumiture.

IMA

12. A device as set forth in claim 10, adapted for use in lifesaving, comprising a watertightly sealable storage container inside doughnut-shaped holes of the said framework rings.

13. A device as set forth in claim 10, in which said gas in the said framework tubes is lighter than air.

14. A device as set forth in claim 10, further comprising foamed plastic in at least some of the central spaces within the said doughnut-shaped tubes.

15. A device as set forth in claim 14 in which balloons, containing gas, are located within said foamed plastic.

16. A device as set forth in claim 15, in which the gas in said balloons is lighter than air.

17. A device as set forth in claim 10, in which the tubes of the said tubular frame are concentric and each pair of said contacting peripheries comprises the radially inner surface of an outer tube and the radially outer surface of a tube that is nested within said outer tube.

18. A device as set forth in claim 17, in which the tubes of said framework are stacked with the centers of their doughnut-hole-shaped spaces being substantially in a line.

19. A device as set forth in claim 10, in which the rings of the said tubular frame are in juxtaposed rows, and each of the said pairs of contacting peripheries comprises juxtaposed radially outer peripheries of adjacent tubes.

20. A device as set forth in claim 19, in which each of the said rows comprises tubes that are staggered relative to those of an adjoining row.

21. A device as set forth in claim 19, in which the tubes of said framework are stacked with the centers of their doughnut-hole-shaped spaces being substantially in the same line.

22. A device as set forth in claim 10, in which said framework comprises at least three rows of tubes and the tubes of each of the said last-named rows are stacked with the centers of their doughnut-hole-shaped spaces being substantially in a line, and the said lines are parallel to each other.

23. A floatable device, comprising:

a floor frame having opposite top and bottom surfaces, comprising annular rings, arranged flatwise with their major diameters in substantially the same plane and having pairs of contacting peripheries, at least one periphery of each of said pairs being a radially outer surface of a ring;

means for holding said rings together at the said contacting peripheries, comprising skin means of strength-providing material, at least a portion of said skin means being upright and curved in plan view; and

tubular framework, jutting from and connected to at least some of the sidewalls of said rings and portions of said skin means, comprising a plurality of stacked doughnutshaped framework tubes with their major diameters in planes substantially parallel to the said first-mentioned plane, gas within the framework tubes, and means fastening the framework to the said sidewalls comprising framework skin means over the said framework tubes.

24. A device as set forth in claim 23, in which said rings are tubular and comprise gas within the rings at a pressure of at least eight pounds per square inch.

25. A device as set forth in claim 23, comprising, within at least some of the said doughnut-shaped tubes, at least one storage container, having a perimeter adjacent to the inner peripheries of these said last-named tubes.

26. A device as set forth in claim 23, in which said doughnut-shaped framework tubes are in a single stack and have centers on a substantially straight line that is substantially normal to the said first-named plane,

27. A device as set forth in claim 23, in which said doughnut-shaped framework tubes are in a plurality of stacks, and in each of said stacks the doughnut-shaped tubes have centers on a substantially straight line that is substantially normal to the said first-named plane.

9 10 28. A device as set forth in claim 27, comprising a lifeline veloped by said skins, arranged flatwise with their major fixed to portions of said stacks, adjacent to the ends of the diameters in substantially the same plane and having pairs stacks that are opposite from the said floor frame, the said of contacting peripheries, each pair of the said periphelifeline being taut and bracing the said ends of the stacks. ries comprising radially outer surfaces of two contiguous 29. Structure as set forth in claim 23, in which each of the tubes;

said pairs of contacting peripheries comprises juxtaposed radi- 8 under b p ri Pressure in the alls f ally outer peripheries of adjacent rings and said skin means each ofsld u and comprises a pair of sheets that are substantially parallel to said m plasllc fillms the doushnut-hole-shaped spaces wllhm first mentioned plane and an endless strip, joined to said Sam tubes- Sheets 10 31. Structure as set forth in claim 30, comprlslng a bed 30. A lightweight structure comprising: adapted for use as a life-saving device, having balloons filled skin means comprising a pair of spaced, substantially paralhghterthan'a m lel sheet-like skins and an endless band-like skin fixed to as set forth m m i 831d sheet Said sheeuike Skins; like sklns are of firm, strength-provldlng material. a plurality of inflated doughnut-shaped tubes within and en- 

1. A floatable, light-weight device, adapted for use as an article of furniture aboard a transportation craft and in emergency life-saving over water, comprising: a tubular frame of annular rings at the top of the article of furniture and having a lower surface, said rings being arranged flatwise with their major diameters in substantially the same plane and having pairs of contacting peripheries, at least one periphery of each of said pairs being a radially outer surface of a ring; means for fastening said rings together at the said contacting peripheries; skin means, snugly envelopIng said rings; and tubular framework, jutting from and connected to at least some of the sidewalls of the said rings, comprising doughnut-shaped framework tubes with their major axes substantially normal to the said plane, gas within the framework tubes, means fastening the framework to the said sidewalls, and framework skin means over the said framework tubes; The said device, when the article of furniture is inverted and floating in water, having a center of gravity that is located between its center of buoyancy and said tubular frame; the said framework being sufficiently open toward said lower surface to allow a person to stand within the framework, supported by said lower surface.
 2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said gas is under a pressure that is well above that of the atmosphere.
 3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said gas is lighter than air and under a pressure well above that of the atmosphere.
 4. A device as set forth in claim 1, in which the tubes of said framework are stacked with the centers of their doughnut-hole-shaped spaces being substantially in the same line and the said line is substantially normal to the said planar surface.
 5. A device as set forth in claim 1, comprising pressurized gas in said rings.
 6. A device as set forth in claim 1, comprising means for fastening said framework to a transport vehicle.
 7. A device as set forth in claim 1, comprising a storage container housed by said tubular framework.
 8. A device as set forth in claim 1, in which said tubular framework comprises spaced rows of stacked doughnut-shaped tubes, the centers of the tubes of each row being in a line that is substantially normal to said plane.
 9. A device as set forth in claim 8, comprising a storage container in each row, adjacent to said tubular frame of annular rings.
 10. A floatable, light-weight device, adapted to be transported by a vehicle, comprising; a tubular frame having a plurality of annular rings, each of which comprises a doughnut-shaped tube and gas within the tube, said rings being arranged flatwise with their major diameters in substantially the same plane, and having pairs of contacting peripheries, at least one periphery of each of said pairs being a radially outer surface of a tube; skin means, snugly enveloping said rings; and tubular framework, jutting from and connected to at least some of the sidewalls of the said rings, comprising a plurality of stacked, doughnut-shaped framework tubes with their major axes normal to the said plane, gas within the said framework tubes, means fastening the framework to the said sidewalls, and framework skin means over the said framework tubes; and connecting means for detachably fastening said device to a vehicle.
 11. Structure as set forth in claim 10, in which: said device is adapted for use as an article of furniture on a vehicle and as a life-saving device in water; and said connecting means for detachably fastening the device comprises hooks connected to base portions of the device when used as said article of furniture.
 12. A device as set forth in claim 10, adapted for use in lifesaving, comprising a watertightly sealable storage container inside doughnut-shaped holes of the said framework rings.
 13. A device as set forth in claim 10, in which said gas in the said framework tubes is lighter than air.
 14. A device as set forth in claim 10, further comprising foamed plastic in at least some of the central spaces within the said doughnut-shaped tubes.
 15. A device as set forth in claim 14 in which balloons, containing gas, are located within said foamed plastic.
 16. A device as set forth in claim 15, in which the gas in said balloons is lighter than air.
 17. A device as set forth in claim 10, in which the tubes of the said tubular frame are concentric and each pair of said contacting peripheries comprises the radially inner surface of an outer tube and the radially outer surface of a tube that is nested witHin said outer tube.
 18. A device as set forth in claim 17, in which the tubes of said framework are stacked with the centers of their doughnut-hole-shaped spaces being substantially in a line.
 19. A device as set forth in claim 10, in which the rings of the said tubular frame are in juxtaposed rows, and each of the said pairs of contacting peripheries comprises juxtaposed radially outer peripheries of adjacent tubes.
 20. A device as set forth in claim 19, in which each of the said rows comprises tubes that are staggered relative to those of an adjoining row.
 21. A device as set forth in claim 19, in which the tubes of said framework are stacked with the centers of their doughnut-hole-shaped spaces being substantially in the same line.
 22. A device as set forth in claim 10, in which said framework comprises at least three rows of tubes and the tubes of each of the said last-named rows are stacked with the centers of their doughnut-hole-shaped spaces being substantially in a line, and the said lines are parallel to each other.
 23. A floatable device, comprising: a floor frame having opposite top and bottom surfaces, comprising annular rings, arranged flatwise with their major diameters in substantially the same plane and having pairs of contacting peripheries, at least one periphery of each of said pairs being a radially outer surface of a ring; means for holding said rings together at the said contacting peripheries, comprising skin means of strength-providing material, at least a portion of said skin means being upright and curved in plan view; and tubular framework, jutting from and connected to at least some of the sidewalls of said rings and portions of said skin means, comprising a plurality of stacked doughnut-shaped framework tubes with their major diameters in planes substantially parallel to the said first-mentioned plane, gas within the framework tubes, and means fastening the framework to the said sidewalls comprising framework skin means over the said framework tubes.
 24. A device as set forth in claim 23, in which said rings are tubular and comprise gas within the rings at a pressure of at least eight pounds per square inch.
 25. A device as set forth in claim 23, comprising, within at least some of the said doughnut-shaped tubes, at least one storage container, having a perimeter adjacent to the inner peripheries of these said last-named tubes.
 26. A device as set forth in claim 23, in which said doughnut-shaped framework tubes are in a single stack and have centers on a substantially straight line that is substantially normal to the said first-named plane.
 27. A device as set forth in claim 23, in which said doughnut-shaped framework tubes are in a plurality of stacks, and in each of said stacks the doughnut-shaped tubes have centers on a substantially straight line that is substantially normal to the said first-named plane.
 28. A device as set forth in claim 27, comprising a lifeline fixed to portions of said stacks, adjacent to the ends of the stacks that are opposite from the said floor frame, the said lifeline being taut and bracing the said ends of the stacks.
 29. Structure as set forth in claim 23, in which each of the said pairs of contacting peripheries comprises juxtaposed radially outer peripheries of adjacent rings and said skin means comprises a pair of sheets that are substantially parallel to said first-mentioned plane and an endless strip, joined to said sheets.
 30. A light-weight structure comprising: skin means comprising a pair of spaced, substantially parallel sheet-like skins and an endless band-like skin fixed to said sheet-like skins; a plurality of inflated doughnut-shaped tubes within and enveloped by said skins, arranged flatwise with their major diameters in substantially the same plane and having pairs of contacting peripheries, each pair of the said peripheries comprising radially outer surfaces of two contiguous tubes; gas under above-atmospheric pressure within thE walls of each of said tubes; and foam plastic filling the doughnut-hole-shaped spaces within said tubes.
 31. Structure as set forth in claim 30, comprising a bed adapted for use as a life-saving device, having balloons filled with lighter-than-air gas, imbedded in said foam plastic.
 32. Structure as set forth in claim 30, in which said sheet-like skins are of firm, strength-providing material. 